DUE DATE EXTENDED TO FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2012, 4 PM ARIZONA TIMELink to website: http://www.phoenix.gov/arts/businessoac/index.htmlThe Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture requests qualifications from professional artists with demonstrated design team and community experience. There are four commissions available at this time. The selected artists or artist teams are expected to work in a collaborative manner with City departments, selected design teams, and community groups.

• One artist or artist team will be selected to work collaboratively to design pedestrian amenities to improve the streetscape along Hatcher Road, between Central Avenue and 5th Street as part of the Hatcher Road Public Art Project.

• One artist or artist team will be selected to design streetscape enhancements that improve pedestrian and transit features as part of Neighborhood Services Department upgrades in the area as part of the 16th Street and Bethany Home Road Public Art Project.

• One artist or artist team will be selected to work with the community, City departments and the Salt River Project to improve the safety and connectivity of major street and trail crossings along the Grand Canal through central Phoenix. The Grand Canal’s trail system could provide a bicycle- and walker-friendly transportation corridor linking neighborhoods and amenities in central Phoenix to such landmarks as Pueblo Grande, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, and Valley Metro Light Rail. This project could integrate designs into existing canal bridges and include path improvements, lighting, trail markers, shade features and other essentials as part of the Arterial Canal Crossings and Trail Connections Public Art project.

• One or more artists will be selected to work with City departments to create new designs for bicycle racks. The racks would be produced in editions and installed to add functionality, distinction and beauty to city streetscapes. Artists specializing in industrial and product design are encouraged to apply. This project will address design only.

The City contact for this Hatcher Road Call is Elizabeth Grajales, Public Art Project Manager, at elizabeth.grajales@phoenix.gov or (602) 534-7230.

The City contact for this 16th Street- Bethany Home Road Call is Rebecca Rothman, Public Art Project Manager, at rebecca.rothman@phoenix.gov or (602) 495-0893.

The City contact for this Arterial Canal Crossings and Trail Connections Call is Ed Lebow, Public Art Program Director, at ed.lebow@phoenix.gov or (602) 495-0893.

The City contact for this Bicycle Rack Design Call is Ed Lebow, Public Art Program Director, at ed.lebow@phoenix.gov or (602) 495-0197.

The first priority in carving out a space for ourselves, whether for a home, a place of business or both is a practical matter. We ask ourselves first about what will take place here. Eating, sleeping, producing a family, producing an income, the amount of space we need and a brief description of the type of neighbors we want near us. The latter will immediately generate new issues. There will be questions about safety, proximity to hospitals and municipal amenities and oh yes, is there a park nearby, a shopping center (“what kind of grocery stores?” perhaps).

And then the furnishings; some of us enjoy making these choices for ourselves. Others need assistance. Some will leave all or most of these decisions to a professional; the RE agent, the architect, the structural engineer, the interior designer. But nearly everyone retains control of the choices of the art in their home. Some guidance perhaps but absolutely the last say-so for this is the most personal choice of all, second only to choosing a mate, more important than the right garment for a special occasion.

Lee Broom Gallery and Design has been in business for a long time. I am Lee Broom. I work with some very talented people. Some have international reputations. Some are still students. All have the eye sight of a child. All agree that the greatest thrill of all is the thrill of discovery.

At the moment I am exercising some choices of my own. I have never used a website for example. That is on its way. Until then I want to enjoy the thrill of creating a blog. I want to meet people not previously known to me. Most of my career occurred in the foothills of North Scottsdale and Palm Desert.

The City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture

For those who would like to learn more about the current Call to Artists – Various Public Art Projects (Hatcher Road – Central Avenue to 5th Street; 16th Street Bethany Home Road; Arterial Canal Crossings and Trail Connections), are invited to attend tonight’s Presubmittal meeting for this call. This is not a mandatory meeting.When: TONIGHT, Wednesday, September 5, 2012 from 6 p.m.to 7:30 p.m.
Where: Phoenix Center for the Arts, 1202 N. Third Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004; Enter at Third Street Theater entrance
Questions about the meeting please call Jeanine Garcia at 602-534-5084. To download this call or if you have any questions about this project please go to www.phoenix.gov/arts/businessoac/index.html.